United opposition is cracking and at the centre of the storm is an unlikely pairing that is fast becoming politically toxic.
Once celebrated as the calm, diplomatic elder of opposition politics, Kalonzo Musyoka is now battling a credibility crisis unfolding in real time. Sharp tongues, shaky claims and public standoffs have replaced restraint and reason. Insiders say the cause is clear: the growing influence of impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Since September, Kalonzo and Gachagua have moved in lockstep — joint meetings, shared platforms, seat-sharing pacts and bold declarations about 2027. Gachagua has loudly anointed Kalonzo as “presidential material,” unveiling zoning plans and opposition strategies with trademark bravado. What was sold as unity now looks like contamination.
The turning point came in November. Kalonzo stormed the Emali–Matiliku road site days after its official launch, declaring the project stalled and equipment missing. The backlash was instant. Critics mocked the dusk inspection, pointing out that road works rarely run at night. Online, the clip went viral not as exposé, but as embarrassment.
Then came the development record showdown. Challenged publicly on what he delivered after decades in power, Kalonzo stumbled. He boasted of 40 years in leadership — quickly correcting himself after being told it was closer to 50 — and claimed credit for major road projects. Fact-checks and presidential rebuttals cut him down, with most infrastructure traced to other administrations. The image of the seasoned statesman cracked.
Veteran opposition figures whisper that this is the “Gachagua effect”: confrontational politics, reckless claims and permanent war mode. It is a style forged in controversy, impeachment and polarisation — now bleeding into Kalonzo’s once-measured brand.
Behind closed doors, allies are reportedly scrambling to contain the damage and rein in Gachagua’s influence. But the question is growing louder by the day:
Is Kalonzo lifting Gachagua — or is Gachagua sinking Kalonzo?
For a man selling himself as a unifier and president-in-waiting, embracing a polarising, impeached figure may be the most expensive political gamble of his career.
